Every yoga enthusiast these days needs a yoga mat. There's no going around this fact; although it is possible to do yoga outdoors in grass or just on the earth. But most yogi or yoginis would advise against this.
In ancient times when yoga was done just in India, yoga mats were made from animal skins. Most of them were made from deer skin, which was relatively cheap and quite easy to come by. But the more luxurious yoga mats back then were made from tiger skins. Which was way more expensive and harder to find.
But even then people used mere towels to practice yoga on as well, the ground or kusha grass was begin used as well, by those who didn't have the means to buy a proper mat.
In these days, yoga mats aren't made from animal skins and there is a huge variety of mats to choose from. Ranging from different sizes or even shapes, to every possible color and even custom images and prints.
Even the thickness of the mats varies among the different types, like the lightweight mats. Those with a thin mat usually have a relatively cheap one and it'll show in terms of quality and durability as well.. Meaning that it'll wear out pretty quick and it won't give much if any support. It'll just keep you from slipping in the different poses.
Then there are medium mats, which are actually the standard ones. They're around 4 to 5 mm thick and they are used by most yogi and yogini who practice yoga a few times a week. You'll find these mats in just about every yoga studio around the world.
Being thicker then the lightweight mats, which can be used as travel yoga mats as well, they'll provide a lot more support and it'll ease the pressure on your wrists and elbows in certain yoga positions. They're also a higher quality mat and they'll therefore last a lot longer than the thinner mats.
And then there is the very best, reserved for the professionals and yogi and yogini who practice yoga every day and need a yoga mat that'll last them a long time. These mats are the very best quality money can buy and they can be as thick as 7mm, giving a lot of support and you'll really feel the difference.
But before actually deciding which yoga mat is perfect for you, you should try the different thicknesses in a nearby sports store. Some people prefer a really thin yoga mat, whereas other people like them really thick.
The different colors can matter as well if you want to have a nice looking mat as well. As mentioned before, there are so many different colors available on the market these days. It's just a matter of choosing the quality and the color and you're set.
Do keep in mind that the more colorful they are, the quicker you'll see them wear down. So if you'd like to keep the same mat for more than a year in the same condition, then you'll be better off with a darker colored mat, or even a black yoga mat.
